MEASUREMENT TUBE

Abstract: A measuring vessel for measuring finely-ground packable material, such as ground brewing coffee, cocoa, flour and so on, comprising a measuring tube (1) which is open at both ends, wherein the bottom end of the tube includes a constriction (3) with an opening which is defined by an edge (4) which slopes to the horizontal plane. The measuring vessel is inserted vertically into the finely-ground material and the material enters the vessel from beneath, through the bottom opening. When the vessel is lifted, the material collected in the vessel will remain therein by virtue of frictional bounds in the material, until the vessel is turned upside down, whereupon the material will run out through the top opening.

Description: MEASURING TUBE. The present invention relates to a measuring vessel or to a measure for measuring finely-ground packable material, such as ground brewing coffee, cocoa, flour, powdered sugar, gruel powder and like packable materials. Conventional measuring vessels for this purpose normally have the form of scoops of varying volumes. When measuring with the aid of scoops, however, certain disadvantages are encountered, which at times are experienced as clear drawbacks to the method: Poor measuring accuracy, because the scoop cannot be used to the same level of accuracy each time, wherewith any measuring error is liable to be multiplied by repeating an error with each scooped quantity. Spillage, partly caused by material adhering to the outer surface of the scoop and partly because the measured material is able to "run" readily over the edge or lip of the scoop. - A risk of measurement errors, because counting of the number of scoops that have been taken is disturbed. Hand and wrist movements performed in the measuring procedure are uncomfortable for persons who are handicapped in their movements in some way, for instance as the result of wearing a supportive bandage, dressing, etc. , and because of pain or because of age, which further increases the risk of spillage from the scoop. The drawbacks of the conventional scoop enumerated above can be avoided to great extent by the inventive measuring vessel, the aim of which is to provide an auxiliary device for measur¬ ing finely-ground, packable and pourable material and which by virtue of its construction and the method in which it is used facilitates precise measuring of the material concerned, reduces spillage and can be handled comfortably by persons who are handicapped in their movements. This object of the invention is fulfilled with a measuring vessel according to Claim 1. The measuring vessel and its method of use will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an axial cross-sectional view of one preferred embodiment of the measuring vessel; Fig. 2 is an end view of the vessel shown in Fig. 1 from beneath; Fig. 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the measuring vessel in a view corresponding to the view of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of one part of the measuring vessel; and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view which illustrates the lower part of the vessel filled with finely-ground material. According to one preferred embodiment, the measuring vessel is comprised of a tube or hollow cylinder which preferably has a round cross-section along the whole of its length, said tube being generally referenced 1 in Fig. 1. By round is meant here a generally round form which can include both circularly rounded and ovally or elliptically rounded cross-sectional shapes. The measuring vessel 1 is transparent so that the quantity of material taken-up in the vessel can be read against a graduated scale 2 printed on or etched in the outer surface of the measuring vessel, and to this end is preferably made of a hard plastic material, for instance an acrylic material. The measuring vessel 1 is open at both ends and includes at the bottom end of the vessel a constriction 3, which may be spherical, as shown in Fig. 1, or conical as shown in Fig. 4. The constriction 3 can be readily produced by the person skilled in the art of manufacture, by heating and forming. When the constriction 3 has a spherical form, its radius R may be equal to the internal radius R of the straight cylindrical part of the measuring vessel. To facilitate penetration of the material into the measuring vessel, the constriction 3 includes an opening whose edge 4 is suitably bevelled towards the horizontal plane H at an angle α. The angle α may vary and will preferably lie within the range of 45-65°, preferably 55-60°. In the case of a tested, well-functioning and preferred embodiment, the opening defined by the constriction has a radius r which is about three-quarters of the inner radius R of the measuring vessel 1. Experience has shown that this ratio provides a suitable balance between the ability of the measuring vessel to retain material and its resistance and tendancy of packing of the material when pressing the measur¬ ing vessel down to collect a measured amount of powdered material in the vessel. The measuring vessel 1 may alternatively have a square or polygonal cross-section (not shown) or a circular cross- section with a square or polygonal bottom opening edge 4' as shown in Fig. 3. When intended for measuring small quantities of finely-ground material, such as ground brewing coffee or cocoa, the measur¬ ing vessel will suitably have an inner diameter of 25-30 mm, while when intended for measuring larger quantities of materi- al, such as flour for instance, may have an inner diameter of up to about 40-45 mm. The length of the measuring vessel may vary, although as a reference the measuring vessel of one preferred embodiment has a length of about 20 cm with an inner diameter of about 25 mm, which provides an accurate measurement of ground brewing coffee for at least ten cups of normal size. It will be understood that the measurements, radii and angles recited in the aforegoing are intended as guidelines for the person skilled in this art, and that optimal construction of a measuring vessel for respective products may result in dimensions that differ from those given above. The measuring vessel 1 is used to measure a portion of the material concerned by inserting the vessel vertically into the finely-ground material so that the vessel will be filled with a given quantity of said material through the opening in the bottom end of the vessel. When a larger quantity is desired, the measuring vessel is repeatedly pushed down into the finely-ground material, wherewith further material will enter the tube from beneath. When the measuring vessel is lifted out of the finely-ground material, the constriction 3 functions to retain a packed column of material in this region of the vessel and the material is retained within the vessel by the frictional forces acting between the fine particles. As shown in Fig. 5, a characteristic conically concave surface 6 forms on the undersurface of the packed material 5. The volume of this cone corresponds to the amount of material that the vessel is unable to retain when lifted out of the material. If too much material has been collected in the measuring vessel, the excess material can be caused to run out through the opening of the constriction, by knocking the vessel lightly against the wall of the storage container or against the free hand that is not holding the vessel. It has been found, however, that only a very small amount of material will leave the vessel before the characteristic conical bottom surface 6 is recreated and prevents further material from leaving the vessel. This enables the amount of material collected in the measuring vessel to be accurately adjusted in accordance with the graduated scale provided on the vessel. The measuring vessel is emptied by turning it generally upside down, whereupon the material is able to flow through the upper opening by virtue of the low coefficient of friction of the plastic and the ease with which the powdered material is now able to flow. It is not necessary to turn the wrist when filling the measuring vessel 1 in accordance with the aforegoing, which makes handling of the measuring vessel easy for those people whose movements are restricted due to supportive bandages or due to rheumatism and so on. Neither will light shaking of the filled vessel cause material to flow therefrom. The risk of erroneous measurements due to a counting error can be avoided in the majority of user situations. The inventive measuring vessel is thus constructed and suitable for use by those user categories which normally find it difficult to handle conven¬ tional scoop measures.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A measuring vessel for measuring finely-ground, packable materials such as ground brewing coffee, cocoa, flour and the like, comprising a measuring tube (1) which has a round or polygonal cross-sectional shape along preferably the whole of its length, characterized in that the measuring tube (1) is open at both ends and includes at its bottom end a conical or spherical constriction (3) which has a bevelled opening- defining edge (4, 4' ). 2. A measuring vessel according to Claim 1, characterized in that the opening-defining edge is circular (4) or polygonal (4'). 3. A measuring vessel according to Claim 1 and Claim 2, characterized in that the constriction (3) is spherical and has an inner radius which is equal to the inner radius of the straight, cylindrical part of the measuring vessel (1). 4. A measuring vessel according to Claim 1, characterized in that the bottom opening-defining edge (4, 4') slopes to the horizontal plane at an angle of about 45-65°, preferably 55- 60°. 5. A measuring vessel according to Claim 1, characterized in that the constriction (3) includes an opening whose radius (r) corresponds to three-quarters of the inner radius (R) of the straight, cylindrical part of the measuring vessel (1). 6. A measuring vessel according to Claim 1, characterized in that the tube (1) is transparent and is provided with a graduated measuring scale (2) . 7. A method of measuring finely-ground packable material with the aid of a measuring vessel according to Claim 1, character¬ ized by filling the measuring vessel ( 1 ) through its open bottom end and emptying the vessel through its open upper end.

Inventors: ERIKSSON PAER, OLSSON ANDERS, SCHAGERSTROEM TONIE, ERIKSSON, PAER, OLSSON, ANDERS, SCHAGERSTROEM, TONIE
Applicants: ERIKSSON PAER, OLSSON ANDERS, SCHAGERSTROEM TONIE, ERIKSSON, PAER, OLSSON, ANDERS, SCHAGERSTROEM, TONIE
Application year: 1994
Main classification: G01F19
IPC codes: G01F11, G01F19, G01N1